Bench-vise



L. ARIVIS'I'RODIG.l

BENCH VISE (No Model.) I

Patented Aug. 12, 1890.

S5543 4.5m v www1?,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEVIS ARMSTRONG, OF W'ORCSTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

BENoH-vlse.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent V1\1'o.l=33,9?3, dated August 12, 1890.

Application filed Julyr 14, 1887.` Serial No. 244,334. (No model.)

To all whom, itpmay concern:

Beit known thatI, LEWIS ARMSTRONG, a citizen of the United States, residing at forcester, in the county of Vorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Bench-Vises, of which the following; is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, representing a bench-vise embodying my invention, and in Whichl Figure lis a longitudinal sectionalview on line X X, Fig.l 3. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view on line Y Y, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a view of the vise removed from the bench. Fig. 4 is a top view of the movable jaw and connected operating mechanism. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the end of the lever H. Fig. 6 is an end view of the lever H with the handle K removed. Fig. 7 is a detached view of the retaining-pawls- Similar letters refer to similar parts in the several views.

A A denote the bench, to which the iixed jaw is attached.

B is the fixed jaw attached to a plate B', which extends beneath the bench A, to which it is fasten ed by bolts passing through the lugs a a, Fig. 3. The plate B' is provided with ways C C- to receive the bars D D of the movable jaw F.. The bars D are retained in position by means of the plates C', Fig. l. In the central portion of the plate B and between the ways C C is arack F, provided withlugs F' F',which pass through mortises in the plate to receive the keys F2, by which the rack F is held in position against the under side of the plate B'. The bars D D are also provided with the downwardly-extending lugs D', supporting the lever H upon the pivot G. The lever H has the toothed arm H', having an oscillating motion about the pivot G. To the outer end of the bars D D, I attach the curved ratchet-bar I, having a slot I', through which the free end of the lever H passes. Upon the lever H are pivoted the pawls J, having a lever J', extending through the slot I' beneath the handle K. Vhen the handle K is raised to its highest position, as seen in Fig. l, the toothed arm H' is carried over far enough to clear the rack and permit the movable jaw to be drawn out to receive the work between the movable and fixed j aws. The handle K is then carried down ward in the direction of the arrow l, Fig. 1,

causing the teeth in the arm H to engage the rack F, which, being held in a fixed position, acts as a fulcrum an d carries the sliding bars inward, bringing the jaws of the vise together and firmly clamping the work between them, the pawls J J sliding over the teeth of the ratchet-bar I and retaining the lever Hin its lowest position. When the work is to be released, the pawls J J are disengaged from the curved ratchet-bar by raising the lever J' with the linger as t-he handle K is seized by the hand. The lever H is raised, moving the movable jaw outward and releasing the work.

The body of the lever H is made of wood preferably, as a more yielding material Whose elasticity allows the lever to be sp rung slightly to compensate for the coarseness of the teeth c on the ratchet-bar I, and is attached to the arm H by means of the prongs d d and bolt e. The outer end of the wooden bar enters a metallic shell L. (Shown in section in Fig. 5 and in end viewin Fig. 6.) The handle K has a shank K', with a pin f, which passes through the slots g g in the shell L, and by a quarter-turn of the handle serves to retain the handle in place and allow it to be readily re-V moved t0 prevent the vise from being used or to clear the space in front of the jaws B and E.

Alight spring h is employed to sustain the Weight of the lever H and maintain it in its highest position, so that the teeth in the arm H' will clear the teeth of the rack F except when the lever H is held down by the pawls J engaging the teethof the curved ratchet-bar I.

lVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the stationary jaw provided with a rack attached to said stationary jaw, of a movable jaw, downwardly-projecting lugs attached to said movable jaw and inclosing between them the fixed rack, a lever pivoted in said lugs and provided with a short arm with its end concentric with the axis ot' said lever and provided with teeth adapted to engage said rack as the lever is depressed and to clear said rack as the lever is raised to its highest position, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

closing said rack, alever pivoted in said lugs and having a short arm concentric with the axis of the lever and provided with teeth arranged to engage said rack as the lever is depressed and move the movable jaw toward the fixed jaw, and also to clear said rack as the lever is raised to its highest position to allow said movable jaw to be moved independently of the engagement with said rack, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

LEWIS ARMSTRONG.

Witnesses:

RUFUS B. FoWLER, H. M. FOWLER. 

